State Fair Week: 2025’s Can’t-Miss New Foods at the Minnesota State Fair

Welcome to 365 Things To Do in the Twin Cities State Fair week!!  We are excited for the annual fun that comes this time every August!  We will be posting for at least the next 3-5 days some blog posts about new things to check out and things going on at this year’s Great Minnesota Get Together!

Let Your Taste Buds Take Center Stage

This State Fair Week, we’re connecting you with the flavors of the Minnesota State Fair before the gates even swing open. From August 21 to Labor Day, September 1, the Great Minnesota Get‑Together returns with over 33 brand-new food items to tempt every craving. Here’s what to eat first.

Deep-Fried Delights & Global Twists

Fair food gets wilder—and more global—than ever. More than a dozen of the new offerings are fried or deep-fried, showcasing everything from fusion snacks to indulgent sweets. Highlights include:

  • Pizza Cheese Curd Tacos – A crispy flour shell filled with pizza-flavored fried cheese curds. Savory innovation at its peak.

  • Cheese Curds in Funnel Cake Batter – Twice-fried comfort food at its finest.

  • PB&J Cheeseburger – Rocking grilled PB&J Uncrustables as buns? This one’s as bold as it sounds.

But there’s more than just deep fry love. This year gives us 33 new dishes and eight new vendors, opening the door to international tastes too, like Filipino spring rolls, Hungarian pastries, and Dubai chocolate creations.

Read more at https://www.mnstatefair.org/new/food/

Must-Try Fair Favorites

Here’s your starting lineup for a food tour worth planning:

  • Afro Bean Pops (Vegan) – Deep-fried nuggets made from black-eyed peas, jalapeños, onions, cilantro. Served with spicy chili sauce.

  • Athena’s Whipped Feta – Creamy feta topped with schug (a zesty Middle Eastern green sauce) and herbs, drizzled with olive oil.

  • Birthday Cake Cookie Dough On‑A‑Stick (Vegetarian) – Cake batter cookie dough coated in a confetti shell with rainbow sprinkles.

  • Bison Meatball Sub – Homemade bison-bacon meatballs with gravy, fried onions, pickles, served in a toasted wild-grain roll.

  • Cannoli Gelato Nachos – Cannoli chips topped with cannoli-flavored gelato, sprinkles, chocolate, and a cherry.

  • Caprese Curds – Italian-seasoned deep-fried curds on tomato-basil bruschetta, drizzled with balsamic—comes with crostini.

  • Cherry Bigfoot Limeade Float (Vegan, Gluten-Free) – Limeade topped with cherry soft serve, garnished with cherry and lime slice.

  • Chicken‑Fried Bacon Fries – Bacon strips double-breaded and fried, served with a choice of Nashville-style hot sauce or sweet dipping sauce.

Why These Foods Stand Out

  • Culinary innovation meets fairground comfort—think mashups and mashdowns of sweet, savory, fried, fresh.

  • Inclusive options for wellness-minded and dietary-conscious fairgoers—vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free treat choices.

  • A global grab-bag of flavors, paying homage to Minnesota’s cultural richness and love for food experimentation.

Plan Your Fair Food Crawl

After you take in the rides and entertainment, fuel up on this fair’s newest edible delights. These are the dishes fair fans will be talking about all year. Bookmark this post and map out your “State Fair Week” itinerary with food at the center.

Read more at https://www.mnstatefair.org/new/food/

Ordered List of the New State Fair Food Items

Get ready to eat your way through the Minnesota State Fair 2025! This year, the fair is serving up 33 brand-new foods ranging from savory twists and international flavors to over-the-top desserts and refreshing drinks. Whether you’re craving bacon-fried bites, sweet and gooey treats, or something totally unexpected, there’s a little taste adventure waiting at every corner of the fairgrounds. Check out the full list of new foods, complete with descriptions and where to find them:

Food Item Description Location
Afro Bean Pops Savory deep-fried bites of ground black-eyed peas, onions, jalapeños, cilantro, and seasonings; served with spicy red chili sauce. Afro Deli, Food Building, east wall
Athena’s Whipped Feta Whipped feta topped with schug, olive oil, and toasted wild rice; served with deep-fried pita bread. Dino’s Gyros, north side of Carnes Ave between Nelson & Underwood streets
Birthday Cake Cookie Dough On-A-Stick Cake-batter cookie dough in a crunchy cake-confetti shell, topped with rainbow sprinkles, served on a stick. Kora & Mila’s Cookie Dough, south side of Dan Patch Ave between Cooper & Cosgrove streets
Bison Meatball Sub Bison and bacon meatballs topped with gravy, pickled cucumbers, crispy onions, and sour cream on a toasted wild-rice hoagie bun. Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop, north side of Dan Patch Ave between Cooper & Cosgrove streets
Cannoli Gelato Nachos Cannoli chips topped with cannoli-flavored gelato, chocolate sauce, sprinkles, and a cherry. Mancini’s al Fresco, north side of Carnes Ave between Nelson & Underwood streets
Caprese Curds Mozzarella curds breaded with Italian seasoning, fried, served over bruschetta tomatoes with balsamic glaze and crostini. LuLu’s Public House, West End Market, south of Schilling Amphitheater
Cherry Bigfoot Limeade Float Limeade topped with cherry Dole Soft Serve, garnished with lime and cherry. Tasti Whip, northwest corner of Dan Patch Ave & Underwood St
Chicken-Fried Bacon Fries Double-breaded beef bacon strips, fried, garnished with parsley; served with choice of hot or BBQ dipping sauces. Soul Bowl, Food Building, east wall
Cinna-sugar Crust Tidbits Flaky pie-crust strips dusted with cinnamon and sugar; served with whiskey caramel dipping sauce. Sara’s Tipsy Pies, Food Building, northwest wall
Croffle Cloud Croissant pressed in a waffle iron, topped with whipped cream, fruit purée, and a cotton candy cloud. Spinning Wylde, Family Fair at Baldwin Park (north of Wright Ave)
Deep-Fried Tofuego Bites Breaded tofu bites fried, tossed in tangy-spicy sauce, served on pineapple-napa slaw; topped with sesame seeds and scallions. Rooted & Wild, Snack House, Warner Coliseum, south side
Dill Pickle Iced Tea Black tea infused with dill-pickle flavor; served with a pickle spear and rimmed with chamoy, Tajín, salt, and dill. Loon Lake Iced Tea, west side of Underwood St between Wright & Dan Patch avenues
Fawaffle Falafel pressed in a waffle iron, topped with tahini butter; served with tomatoes, hummus, green shatta, and more. BABA’S, west side of Underwood St between Lee & Randall avenues
Flauta Dippers Rolled tortillas filled with seasoned shredded chicken, fried, served with tomatillo salsa, sour cream, and cotija cheese. El Burrito Mercado, International Bazaar, south wall
Freaky Fryday Chicken-fried vegan bacon served with vegan fried chicken strips; toppings include cinnamon-sugar donuts & syrup, ranch, buffalo sauce, or dragon dust. The Herbivorous Butcher, Food Building, west section, south wall
Grandma Doreen’s Dessert Dog Vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two slices of Grandma Doreen’s Coffee Cake, skewered on a stick. West End Creamery, West End Market, northwest section
Green Apple Sucker Ice Cream Tart green apple ice cream swirled with caramel, flavored like a caramel-apple lollipop. Granny’s Apples + Lemonade, Food Building, west wall
Hot Honey Jalapeño Popper Donut Hand-cut yeast donut topped with jalapeño cream cheese frosting, bacon, pickled jalapeños, and hot honey. Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts, northwest corner of Carnes Ave & Chambers St
Hot Honey Pizza Ballzz Dough balls stuffed with cheese curds, pepperoni, herbs, Parmesan; brushed with garlic butter and drizzled with hot honey. Green Mill, east side of Cooper St between Randall & Wright avenues
Hula Kalua Pork Slow-smoked pork collar caramelized in Hawaiian BBQ sauce; served with banana chips and pickled cucumbers. RC’s BBQ, north side of West Dan Patch Ave between Liggett & Chambers streets
Land of 10,000 Cakes Butter Brittle ice cream layered with three mini cupcakes (Crème Brûlée, Pistachio, Chocolate), topped with whipped cream and a cherry. Bridgeman’s Ice Cream, northeast corner of Judson Ave & Liggett St
Apple Glaze Patisserie Sweet Pull-apart donut dough with Honeycrisp apples, brown sugar pecan streusel, and orange blossom maple glaze. Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop, north side of Dan Patch Ave between Cooper & Cosgrove streets
Pimento Cheese Puffs Pimento cheese wrapped in puff pastry, deep-fried, and served with pepper jelly. Shanghai Henri’s, International Bazaar, north wall
Pizza Cheese Curd Tacos Pepperoni, sausage, and pizza-flavored curds in a crispy flour shell, topped with marinara and Parmesan. Richie’s Cheese Curd Tacos, west side of Chambers St between West Dan Patch & Carnes avenues
Pot of Gold Potato Dumplings Cheesy garlic mashed potato dumplings, fried; served with Top the Tater® chive-onion dip. O’Gara’s at the Fair, southwest corner of Dan Patch Ave & Cosgrove St
Shrimp & Pork Toast On-A-Stick Pork and shrimp with aromatics on Texas toast, deep-fried, served with apricot jelly hot sauce. Union Hmong Kitchen, International Bazaar, south wall, west corner
Smashadilla Ground beef and Gouda grilled in a tortilla, folded with caramelized onions, lettuce, pickles, and burger sauce. Gass Station Grill, west side of Cooper St between Dan Patch & Judson avenues
Somali Street Fries Somali beef suqaar (spiced beef, vegetables, cheese, herbs) over fries with garlic sauce and jalapeño hot sauce. Midtown Global Market’s Oasis Grill & Hoyo Sambusa, International Bazaar, east wall (Aug 21–26 only)
Sweet Squeakers White cheddar curds in funnel-cake batter, fried, topped with lemon whipped cream and berry sauce. The Blue Barn, West End Market, south of History & Heritage Center
Tandoori Chicken Quesaratha Spiced tandoori chicken layered with Monterey Jack & mozzarella, sautéed onions, bell peppers, jalapeños, corn, cilantro, and green chilis. Folded in paratha bread, griddled, and served with Holy Land’s Avocado Cilantro Lime Sauce. Holy Land, International Bazaar, southeast corner
Timber Twists Italian sausage, mozzarella, cream cheese, and spices stuffed in manicotti shells, wrapped in bacon, smoked over wood fire. Giggles’ Campfire Grill, southeast corner of Lee Ave & Cooper St at The North Woods
Triple Chocolate Mini Donuts Chocolate mini donuts with powdered sugar, chocolate icing, sprinkles, and chocolate chips; served in a chocolate-rimmed bucket. Solem’s Cheese Curds & Mini Donuts, east side of Underwood St between Murphy & Lee avenues
Uncrustaburger Hamburger patty with cheese, pickles, and sauce, sandwiched between two deep-fried PB&J Uncrustables®. Coasters, southeast corner of Carnes Ave & Liggett St

With so many tasty new creations at the Minnesota State Fair 2025, the hardest part might be deciding where to start. From sweet to savory and everything in between, these 33 new foods are sure to spark some cravings. Which ones are you most excited to try first? Share your favorites and foodie finds in the comments — and don’t forget to snap a photo of your must-try bites at the Great Minnesota Get-Together!

Read more at https://www.mnstatefair.org/new/food/